Adirondack Weather

High mountain ridges are not the place to hang out during a thunderstorm. Here's a pic of my friend Fred and me on the summit of Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. When I snapped this, we did not realize how charged the air was; I had just taken off my helmet. As I walked out along the narrow crest however, I felt the hairs on my arm bristle. Needless to say, we beat a hasty retreat!

Little's as fickle as the weather in these hills. Don't expect any weather report to be perfect. These mountains make forecasting difficult at best, a work of fiction at worst. A few general pointers to keep in mind:

• Spring always comes late in the Daks. For folks downstate, this means don't come up dressed for the weather downstate. And be ready for deep snow or ice on the ground. Prepare for winter well into May!
• Summer months (June to August) are notorious for thunderstorms. Usually, there is fair warning, but not always. And the higher peaks have had snow squalls and hailstorms even at this time.
• Autumn is usually short & sweet. The last two weeks of September to the first two in October are the best leaf-peeking days.
• Winter: long, cold, very snowy. Don't mess around up here then. Play boyscout, BE PREPARED!
• Rain: we get more than our fair share for NY, though the last few years have been unusually dry.
• Snow: Plenty. Rarely do we want for a good ski base.
• Sudden changes occur often. Wilderness wanderers must be ready for them.
• Temperatures in the winter have dipped below -40 degrees F; in summer shot above 100. Generally, expect:
  • Spring: cold nights, mild days, frequent rain
  • Summer: warm & humid, generally comfortable nighttime temps
  • Fall: starts like summer, gets wet & cool, then turns cold & nasty usually by mid October
  • Winter: Ave temps about 24 degreesF. It's cold & snowy. January usually has a brief thaw.

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